REPORT: Cayuga County Tourism office faces uncertain future if hotel tax overhaul is approved

The Cayuga County Office of Tourism could see a significant budget shortfall if a proposal to share hotel tax revenue with the City of Auburn goes through.

Officials with the agency warn that a split could lead to a $320,000 deficit, jeopardizing the agency’s operations, according to reporting this week by The Citizen.

This concern arises as the county considers renewing its 5% occupancy tax. Auburn’s request for half of the tax collected from its hotels has sparked debate on the future funding of tourism efforts in the county.

Auburn’s recent move to request a 50% share of the occupancy tax revenue collected from city hotels has prompted warnings from tourism officials about potential program cuts and job losses.

The dispute over the hotel tax revenue highlights the challenges of balancing local funding needs with broader tourism promotion efforts.

Staff Report

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